1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sun visor holder mounted in an interior of an automobile and holding a shaft of a sun visor.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 8 shows an example of a conventional sun visor holder (see Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2525910).
In a sun visor holder 310 shown therein, a shaft of a sun visor (not illustrated) is elastically engaged with an engaging portion 314 formed integrally with a main body 312, and the sun visor is held by the sun visor holder 310.
A cylinder portion 316, through which a screw is inserted and passed, and a projection 318 are formed in the main body 312. When the sun visor holder 310 is mounted, the projection 318 is used as a positioning member and a screw is inserted in and passed through the cylinder portion 316 and screwed in respective mounting holes of an interior material and a body panel. As a result, the sun visor holder 310 is mounted via the interior material at the body panel.
However, the sun visor holder 310 is, as described above, mounted via the interior material at the body panel by screwing the screw. Therefore, it is necessary to fasten the screw in a state in which the mounting hole of the interior material and the mounting hole of the body panel are made to coincide with each other at the time of mounting. As a result, operating efficiency is poor.
In view of the above-described circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a sun visor holder wherein the efficiency with which the sun visor holder is mounted on a body panel is greatly improved.
A first aspect of the present invention is a sun visor holder comprising: a holding portion which can hold a shaft of a sun visor; an interior material engaging portion which engages with an interior material of a vehicle; and a body panel engaging portion which engages with a body panel of the vehicle in a state in which the interior material engaging portion engages with the interior material.
When the sun visor holder is mounted in a vehicle, first, the interior material engaging portion is engaged with (temporarily fastened to) the interior material. Next, in the state in which the interior material engaging portion is engaged with the interior material, the body panel engaging portion is engaged with the body panel. As a result, the sun visor holder is mounted in the vehicle. Thus, the sun visor holder can be mounted in the vehicle by engaging the same sequentially with the interior material and the body panel. Therefore, it is not necessary to pre-align the interior material and the body panel with each other (that is, to coincide respective mounting holes with each other) as in a conventional sun visor holder. Further, operating efficiency in mounting the same on a vehicle body is excellent.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the sun visor holder further comprises: an insertion portion inserted both in a mounting hole formed in the interior material and in a mounting hole formed in the body panel, wherein the interior material engaging portion can be engaged with the interior material by an operation of inserting the insertion portion in the mounting hole of the interior material, and the body panel engaging portion can be engaged with the body panel by an operation of inserting the insertion portion in the mounting hole of the body panel.
In the sun visor holder of the second aspect, first, when the insertion portion is inserted in the mounting hole of the interior material, the interior material engaging portion is engaged with the interior material due to the inserting operation. Next, when the insertion portion is further inserted in the mounting hole of the body panel from the above-described state, the body panel engaging portion is engaged with the body panel due to the inserting operation.
As described above, the sun visor holder can be mounted on the vehicle body in a state of being engaged with the interior material and also with the body panel by simply inserting the insertion portion in the mounting hole of the interior material and in the mounting hole of the body panel. It is not necessary to fasten the screw as in a conventional sun visor holder. Therefore, the efficiency with which the sun visor holder is mounted on the vehicle body is further improved.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the insertion portion includes a fitting portion which is fit into the mounting hole of the interior material in a state in which the interior material engaging portion is engaged with the interior material; and the interior material engaging portion is formed so as to contact the interior material from a side of an end of the insertion portion, with the fitting portion being fit into the mounting hole of the interior material.
In the state in which the insertion portion is inserted in the mounting hole of the interior material and the interior material engaging portion is engaged with the interior material (a temporarily fastened state), the engaging portion is engaged with the mounting hole of the interior material. Therefore, unstable mounting of the sun visor holder in the temporarily fastened state is prevented to facilitate mounting.
Further, the interior material engaging portion contacts the interior material from the side of the end of the insertion portion in the state in which the engaging portion is engaged with the mounting hole of the interior material. As a result, movement of the insertion portion is prevented by the interior material engaging portion. Therefore, the state in which the engaging portion is engaged with the mounting hole of the interior material is maintained.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, in any one of the first to third aspects, the sun visor holder further comprises: a grommet member including the interior material engaging portion and a nipping portion for nipping the body panel together with the body panel engaging portion; and a holder member including the holding portion and the body panel engaging portion and engaged with the grommet member by being rotated, the holder member including a rotation stopping portion for stopping rotation of the holder member in a state of being engaged with the grommet member.
Since the sun visor holder is formed by two members, that is, the grommet member and the holder member, the freedom, with which the shape of the sun visor holder may be optionally formed, increases and manufacturing costs can be reduced. Moreover, in the state in which the holder member is rotated to and engaged with the grommet member, rotation of the holder member is stopped by the rotation stopping portion. Accordingly, the holder member and the grommet member can be maintained in the engaged state.
Further, the grommet member includes a nipping portion which nips the body panel together with the body panel engaging portion, and the sun visor holder can be mounted at the body panel in a stable manner by nipping the body panel.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the holder member includes a fragile portion which is broken when a load of a predetermined value or more acts on the holding portion.
When a load of a predetermined value or more acts on the holding portion due to an impact or the like, the fragile portion is broken. At this time, a part of the holder member and the grommet member remain on the vehicle body. Therefore, no pieces of a broken component of the sun visor holder fly apart in the interior of a vehicle.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, the rotation stopping portion is a protruding member, and the rotation stopping portion is engaged with a groove portion formed in the grommet member to prevent relative rotation of the holder member with respect to the grommet member in a state in which the holder member is engaged with the grommet member.
In accordance with a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, one end of the interior material engaging portion is provided at the insertion portion and another end of the interior material engaging portion extends in a direction opposite to an insertion direction of the insertion portion so as to be apart from the insertion portion, and the interior material engaging portion can deform elastically to be close to the insertion portion.
In accordance with an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, the body panel engaging portion protrudes outside of the insertion portion, and can deform elastically inside of the insertion portion.
In accordance with a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, a first guide surface is formed in the body panel engaging portion, the first guide surface guiding the body panel engaging portion so as to elastically deform inside of the insertion portion when the insertion portion is inserted into the mounting hole of the body panel.
In accordance with a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the fourth aspect, a second guide surface is formed in the body panel engaging portion, the second guide surface guiding the body panel engaging portion so as to elastically deform inside of the grommet member when the holder member is relatively rotated with respect to the grommet member in a state in which the holder member is engaged with the grommet member.
In accordance with an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the second aspect, an end portion of the insertion portion has a tapered shape.
In accordance with a twelfth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sun visor holder comprising: a holding portion which can hold a shaft of a sun visor; an interior material engaging portion which engages with an interior material of a vehicle; a body panel engaging portion which engages with a body panel of the vehicle in a state in which the interior material engaging portion engages with the interior material; and an insertion portion inserted both in a mounting hole formed in the interior material and in a mounting hole formed in the body panel; wherein the interior material engaging portion can be engaged with the interior material such that when the insertion portion is inserted into the mounting hole of the interior material, the interior material engaging portion deforms according to an insertion of the insertion portion to the mounting hole of the interior material, and after the insertion of the insertion portion into the mounting hole of the interior material, the interior material engaging portion returns to a substantially original shape thereof, and the body panel engaging portion can be engaged with the body panel such that when the body panel engaging portion is inserted into the mounting hole of the body panel, the body panel engaging portion deforms according to an insertion of the insertion portion into the mounting hole of the body panel, and after the insertion of the insertion portion into the mounting hole of the body panel, the body panel engaging portion returns to a substantially original shape thereof.